Museo de Bellas Artes Bilbao 2026: Free Entry During Renovation
The museum closes on 31 August and reopens on 6 October with the finished Foster expansion. Until then it is free. The reopening week, 6 to 13 October, is free too. Here's how to plan around the gap.
The Museo de Bellas Artes Bilbao has a date now, and it comes with a gap. The museum's last day open is Sunday 30 August 2026. It then closes from 31 August to 5 October to finish the Foster expansion, and reopens on 6 October with the new building. If your trip lands in September, this museum is not an option, whatever Google Maps tells you.
Both sides of the gap are free. Admission costs nothing while the works continue, and the reopening week from 6 to 13 October is free as well. After that the museum has published no rate.
If you were planning to buy the Artean Pass (Guggenheim + Bellas Artes combo), hold off. With Bellas Artes free, the pass saves nothing, and during the September closure it buys you access to a building with the shutters down.
What's open right now
Entry is through Plaza Eduardo Chillida, not the main Parque Doña Casilda door. Inside there's a rotating selection from the permanent collection plus temporary exhibitions.
What to prioritise: the Spanish painting rooms — Goya, El Greco, Zurbarán, Ribera — and the Basque 19th- and 20th-century wing. The scale is much smaller than the full museum, so plan 60–90 minutes rather than the 2–3 hours the complete building needs.
Hours and closing days (2026)
Monday to Saturday 10:00–20:00, Sundays 10:00–15:00. Closed Tuesdays. Rooms start clearing 15 minutes before closing.
Then the dates that matter this autumn:
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| Sunday 30 August | Last day open before the works closure |
| 31 August – 5 October | Closed. The only full closure in four years of construction |
| 6 October | Reopens with the finished expansion |
| 6–13 October | Reopening week, admission free |
| 24 and 31 December | 10:00–15:00, unless the date falls on a Tuesday |
| 25 December, 1 and 6 January | Closed |
Hours can change. Confirm on the official museum page before visiting.
How to combine with the Guggenheim
The two museums are 10 minutes apart on foot. The obvious route goes along Alameda de Mazarredo, but the quieter walk is through Parque Doña Casilda — greener, faster in summer.
Closing days are offset: the Guggenheim closes Mondays, Bellas Artes closes Tuesdays. If your Bilbao trip includes a Monday, do Bellas Artes that day. Wednesday and Thursday are the days with both museums open and the lowest crowds. For the inside view of what to see at the Guggenheim itself, see our Guggenheim Bilbao guide.
None of this applies between 31 August and 5 October. In those five weeks the Guggenheim is the only one of the two that opens, and a Bilbao museum day is a Guggenheim day plus something else. The Itsasmuseum down by the river is the obvious filler, and it's free for everyone on Sundays from 17:00.
If you only have one day and the Guggenheim is the anchor, visit Bellas Artes first thing at 10:00, then walk to the Guggenheim for an 11:30 slot. For the Guggenheim itself, buy the entry direct at tickets.guggenheim-bilbao.eus (€18 in summer, €15 otherwise). GetYourGuide has no standalone entry ticket for this museum — only tours. The guided exterior tour (€95, English, skip-the-line, tickets included) is worth it only if you want an expert guide for context on Bilbao's transformation through art. Otherwise buy direct — admission already includes an audio guide.
On the Artean Pass in 2026
Before the renovation, the Artean Pass combined Guggenheim + Bellas Artes for €18 (saving roughly €7). With Bellas Artes free this year, the pass reduces to a Guggenheim ticket with a different label — and in summer, when the Guggenheim charges €18 itself, the label costs exactly the same as the ticket. If you're visiting only the Guggenheim, buy that ticket directly. If someone offers you the Artean as a deal in 2026, check the price — they may not have updated the calculation.
From 31 August to 5 October the pass is worse than useless: half of what it covers is shut. Buy the Guggenheim ticket on its own.
After 13 October the pass may be worth considering again, and that depends on a number nobody has published. The booking system shows a €7 general fee struck through to zero, which is a hint and not a rate. We will update this page when the museum announces what it charges after the reopening week.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Museo de Bellas Artes Bilbao closed in September 2026?
Yes. The museum closes from 31 August to 5 October 2026 to finish the last phase of the Foster expansion. The last day open is Sunday 30 August. This is the only full closure in a construction process that has run for more than four years, and it lands squarely in September, so anyone planning a Bilbao trip that month should treat this museum as unavailable. It reopens on 6 October.
Is the Museo de Bellas Artes Bilbao free in 2026?
Yes, on both sides of the closure. Admission is free while the expansion works continue, with entry through Plaza Eduardo Chillida, and it stays free during the reopening week from 6 to 13 October. After 13 October the museum has not published a rate. Before the renovation the general fee was around €10, so assume the free run ends there unless the museum says otherwise.
What are the opening hours in 2026?
Monday to Saturday 10:00–20:00, Sundays 10:00–15:00, closed Tuesdays. Add the September closure (31 August to 5 October). On 24 and 31 December the museum runs 10:00–15:00 unless the date falls on a Tuesday, and it is closed on 25 December, 1 January and 6 January. Rooms start clearing 15 minutes before closing time.
What can you see while the main building is closed?
A curated selection from the permanent collection, plus temporary exhibitions. Highlights typically include Spanish and Basque painting (Goya, El Greco, Zurbarán) and 20th-century works. The scale is smaller than the full museum, so plan 60 to 90 minutes rather than the 2 to 3 hours the complete building needs.
Can you visit the Museo de Bellas Artes and Guggenheim on the same day?
Yes, outside the September closure. They are 10 minutes apart on foot, and the closing days are offset: the Guggenheim closes Mondays, the Bellas Artes closes Tuesdays. Wednesday and Thursday have both open. Between 31 August and 5 October only the Guggenheim is available, which also makes the Artean Pass pointless for those weeks.
Last verified: August 2026